Obama showed the significance he attached to India-US relationship by hosting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his First State Dinner in November 2009.
A year later, he became the first US President to travel to India in his first term during which he not only declared India-US relationship as the most important relationship of the 21st century, but also endorsed India for the UN Security Council Permanent Membership, recognising the growing stature of the country at the world level.
Obama has appointed a record number of Indian-Americans to top positions in his Administration - including Raj Shah as USAID Administrator - and also personally lit the traditional ‘diya' inside the White House to celebrate the Diwali. It was during his first term that the India-US bilateral trade crossed the USD 100 billion mark.
On the domestic front, the Democrats, since Obama took office, have overcome Republicans' opposition to pass an economic stimulus programme, overhaul the US healthcare system, lay down new rules for Wall Street and the banking industry, and rescue the US auto industry from collapse. Obama along with other Democrats also overturned a two-decade-old law banning openly gay Americans from serving in the US military.
Ahead of the Presidential poll, Obama did not lose his patience and worked to a game plane and strategy, that ultimately led him to win.
